The Innovation in Manufacturing Systems and Technology (IMST) degree programme offers highly competitive courses of study that explore the many facets of manufacturing technology. Challenging coursework integrates the process, product, system, and business aspects of this vibrant industry, while focusing on the core of manufacturing systems - the operational flow problems of the factory environment.
While firmly grounded in the engineering sciences, advanced coursework will expose students to innovative theories and methodology, as well as a rigorous investigation of financial, strategic and global aspects of technology innovation and new business generation.
The Master of Science (S.M.) in IMST
A professional master's degree programme that prepares graduates to assume technical leadership in various manufacturing industries. This one-year programme comprises a highly integrated set of subjects and projects that cover the process, product, system, and business components of manufacturing. The S.M. degree offers students an opportunity to interact with the MIT faculty during the Immersion Programme on the MIT campus. In addition, students will participate in a theme project where a team of students works independently on broad manufacturing themes, and individually on detailed technical and business issues.
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in IMST
A research doctorate degree programme that prepares graduates for advanced careers in industrial research and development centres, research institutes, or academic departments interested in fundamental research in manufacturing. The Ph.D. degree programme is a commitment of three or more years, with a full semester of study at MIT.
IMST addresses a broad, but fundamental area at the cutting-edge of manufacturing industries. It is a multi-disciplinary programme that combines the physical fundamentals of processes and machines with the operational flow challenges of the factory. Graduates will possess a broad understanding of the many facets of manufacturing, as well as the strategic tools to become premiere leaders in technology development for existing and emerging manufacturing companies, research centers, or universities. The IMST programme will equip its graduates with:
Courses are primarily for students interested in new technologies and business ventures in manufacturing. Careers might include positions in:
The S.M., M. Eng. and Ph.D. degree programmes contain the IMST core curriculum, which includes the following courses:
In addition to the SMA core curriculum, the M. Eng. degree requires a Master's thesis, and the Ph.D. degree requires a Ph.D. thesis, as well as several additional advanced courses.
SMA 6301 Manufacturing Physics I: Materials and Processes (S.M., M.Eng.,
The basic modes of transformation in processes: removal, addition, phase change and deformation. Various means for performing these transformations and the effect of material constitutive properties. Introduction of the concepts of process characterisation, parameters of cost, quality, rate and flexibility. Organised by modules, each of which treats the various manifestations of a single transformation method.
SMA 6307 Business Fundamental (S.M., M.Eng., Ph.D.)
Provides exposure to key principles and practices used in business management. Provides opportunities to analyze cases in management of innovation.
SMA 6302 Manufacturing Physics II: Analysis, Design and Control of Automated
Equipment (S.M., M.Eng., Ph.D.)
Emphasizes a systems approach to equipment selection and/or design. Provides exposure to selected industrial automation practices and develops the ability to select appropriate automation methods. Fundamental building blocks: system kinematics and dynamics, modeling uncertainty, measurement and actuation uncertainty, control-system theory. Performance limitations: hardware kinematics and dynamics. Use of feedback control system to meet equipment performance specifications. Use of case studies from different applications (such as optoelectrical assembly, laser cutting, semiconductor, etc.) Laboratory-oriented practice.
SMA 6304 Manufacturing Systems I: Analytical Methods and Flow Models (S.M.,
Provides ways to conceptualize and analyze manufacturing systems and supply chains in terms of material flow, information flow, capacities, and flow times. Fundamental building blocks: inventory and queuing models, forecasting and uncertainty, optimisation, process analysis, linear systems and system dynamics. Factory planning: flow planning, bottleneck characterisation, buffer and batch-size tactics, seasonal planning, dynamics and learning for various process flow topologies and for various market contexts.
SMA 6306 Product Design and Development (S.M., M.Eng., Ph.D.)
Covers modern tools and methods for product design and development. The cornerstone of this subject is a project in which teams of management, engineering and industrial design students conceive, design, and prototype a physical product. Class sessions are conducted in workshop mode and employ cases and hands-on exercises to reinforce key ideas.
SMA 6308 Professional Seminar in Manufacturing Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Appreciation of global manufacturing environment. Roles of product-process and enterprise innovation. Various models of new venture formation (internal and external). Issues of customer responsiveness, human resource responsiveness, physical plant responsiveness, and global market responsiveness. Fundamental building blocks: next generation manufacturing framework, case studies and guest speakers in process innovation, product innovation, operational innovation and new venture formation.
SMA 6303 Manufacturing Physics III: Process Optimisation and Control (S.M.,
Process control in manufacturing processes. Discrete system feedback control theory, empirical/adaptive modeling, and basic process physics understanding. A general framework for modeling and control of manufacturing processes is developed. Various existing forms of process control are studied, including off-line optimisation, statistical process control, and real-time machine and process control. The control approach to process physics is examined in the context of specific manufacturing processes.
SMA 6305 Manufacturing Systems II: System Design and Optimisation
MIT provides ways to plan and design manufacturing systems and supply chains. Introduces applicable models and software, and provides exposure to industrial applications and cases. Focus on impact of demand and process variability, as well as process and policy constraints on performance of supply chains and manufacturing systems. Examines application of key tactics and countermeasures, such as inventory, flexibility and risk pooling. Supply chain planning topics include network inventory models, flow planning, system dynamics, value from supply chain integration for various network topologies and for various market contexts. Manufacturing system design topics include: integration with product development, capacity planning and flexibility, network location decisions, impact of product variety, impact of short product life cycles, make-buy and supplier choice decisions.